


Don't wait that long

by Dry_The_Rain



Category: Phandom/The Fantastic Foursome (YouTube RPF)
Genre: Dan is oblivious, Dogs, Fluff, Happy Ending, Idiots in Love, Love Confessions, M/M, Mild Angst, Pining Phil, Romance, Stubborn!Dan, puppy talk
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-01-03
Updated: 2016-02-01
Packaged: 2018-05-11 06:52:46
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,757
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5617465
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dry_The_Rain/pseuds/Dry_The_Rain
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Phil wants a dog, he doesn't care about the landlord or the work, he wants one and he'll be damned if Dan stops him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is probably going to be a short fic, I was just trying out some fluff-the idea of Dan and Phil having a dog is just too cute not to write about! Comments and Kudos would be appreciated ^_^

“Dan…pleeeassseeee! I’m responsible!”

“Do you remember Simon? You were in tears for days after he died and he was a prehistoric shrimp!” Phil frowned and pushed his bottom lip out into a pout, muttering about how unfair it was so bring that up. “Oh come on…don’t- don’t do that…you’re nearly thirty- how can you even do puppy-dog eyes- Christ,” Phil frowned harder and stomped his foot a little, not really caring that he looked like a stroppy two year old. “I’m twenty-eight- you make me sound like I’m a grandpa!” Dan just rolled his eyes and sighed when Phil fell dramatically onto the sofa and sniffed haughtily at him. “For God’s sake! We don’t _need_ a puppy- you practically are one already…it’s enough work keeping you happy and out of trouble, I don’t need something else to look after,” Phil looked distinctly unimpressed and turned away from Dan in his chair, okay maybe he was being a little melodramatic-but really what is life without a bit of drama.

“Ugh Dan you’re no fun…Dan Howell…more like….Dan grumpy….Dan grumphowe….howegrump-ugh I’m so sad I can’t even do a pun,” he waved his arms in a huff then continued. “Dan…pleeeeaaasssseeee! We said we’d start running and all we did was take a selfie and then get the cab back home….if I had a dog I would walk and run with it _every_ day…you could come too? OMG Dan we could dress it up in cute clothes……Daaaaaaannnnn,” He moaned as Dan got his phone out and started tapping the screen, refusing to even look at Phil. “Okay Philly, let me break this down for you as you seem to be struggling. It. Would. Die. 1) We would forget to feed it 2) we are always out and have no friends to look after it 3) we live in central London with busy jobs not to mention the landlord said no 4) You would be dead from allergies, 5) you can’t even keep houseplants alive.” Dan stood to leave and Phil stood up slowly with him. “You asked the landlord…you never told me you asked the landlord? You soooo want one! That was _one_ plant okay. Also I’m allergic to cats not dogs. God Dan get it right….wait, where are you going?” They stopped at the door and Dan pulled on his coat.

A gust of cold winter air hit Phil like a brick wall as the door swung shut in his face. He fell onto his bed and looked at ceiling. If they had a dog maybe it wouldn’t always end like this. Phil was always left to sit at home waiting for Dan to come back after getting plastered. Normally he crashed back in at about four in the morning stinking for vodka, or he didn’t come home at all-which was worse; so much worse. One day Dan would settle with one of his one night stands, then all Phil would be left with would be photos, videos and occasional visits from over excitable children with hobbit hair and chocolate eyes. Phil turned on his side and looked at the time. 11 pm.

                                -------------------------------------------------------------------

“Dan?” he said, or at least attempted to, though it came out as more a grunt because of the toothpaste. “WHAT,” Dan yelled back from the sitting room. Phil spat out the foam and pushed on his glasses, wandering over to the lounge and pocking his head around the door. Dan was slumped in the sofa, in his Jake the Dog hoodie, the sleeves in jumper paws and staring at his laptop. Phil used to mind about sharing clothes but when you share a washing machine it’s too much of a faff to sort the clothes. Also something inside him liked to see Dan in his clothes.

“I still want a puppy,” he said. Dan jumped and flailed a little before scowling up at Phil and shaking his head. “Cheeky motherfu- When did you get so stealthy anyway?” Dan laughed dryly.

“It must be all the ninja training I get when you’re out getting shit-faced,” Dan at least had the courtesy to look embarrassed. “Anyway, you’re trying to distract me- you shall never prevail!” Dan rolled his eyes and looked back at the laptop. “Dan, listen to me……….. _I want a puppy_ ,” Dan looked up slowly and frowned “I’m sorry did you say something? I couldn’t hear you over the sound of a TERRIBLE idea,” he looked back at the laptop and Phil plopped down next to him. He watched slowly as Dan’s cheek dimpled and his head bobbed, his curly wet hair flecking the sofa and spraying Phil a little. He smiled fondly and heaved in a breath.

                                                        -------------------------------

“You’re ridiculous!”

“What?” Dan chuckled.

“You say dogs are a nuisance but you’ve spent the last 15m staring at a Shibe.” Dan scoffed and clicked off the page.

“I said it’s a bad idea for _us_ not in general- in general I would kill to hug a Shiba Inu right now,”

Phil clicked back on the link. The Shibe yapped, stuck out its tongue, wiggled its butt and charged at the cameraman. Dan couldn’t stop the laugh no matter how hard he tried. “Seeeeeeeee…you _love_ them. Let’s get one!”

Dan closed the laptop and walked out of the room, leaving Phil staring at the sofa crease as though it could answer for him.

                                                       -------------------------------

“Phil??? What the fuck is this?” Dan shouted from his room, storming into the kitchen. Phil looked up guilty and Dan frowned, “Is that my cereal?” Phil hid the bowl behind his back and said “Huh? What…no…” accidently spilling some milk onto the floor. Dan looked between the puddle of milk and Phil’s wide innocent smile. “Okay- not important…this Phil- what the fuck is this?” Phil subtly pushed the bowl onto the counter, with a crack and a scornful look from Dan and then scratched the back of his head. “Uh-what does it look like….it’s a Shiba Inu,” Phil said, cocking his head. The toy smiled up at him, tiny eyes glittering in the light. “Yes, I can see that…why was it in my room?” Phil’s frown deepened. “You said you’d kill to hug one, I didn’t want a homicide on my hands so…I bought you that…to hug…in the meantime-before we get a real one,” Phil sighed a little as Dan stormed out of the room, toy neglected on the table. He picked it up “Hello there little guy…hmm what should I name you…Susan 3? No…you’re too cute for that….hmmm….”

                                                        ------------------------------------

Phil walked into Dan’s room as quietly as he could, he heard the door slam shut a minute ago but even so it somehow felt wrong to snoop through your friends stuff. Ahh there it is. “Um…Phil what the hell are you doing in my room?” Dan said, totally neutrally. Phil squealed and knocked the lamp off of the desk in his fright. Dan looked down at the cracked glass and then slowly back up at Phil. “I-ah…umm…you just went out?” Dan blinked slowly once then said “I went to get the post Phil,” he said, gestering to the letters in his hand. Phil grinned and tried to lean casually on the desk. “Ohhh…ha ha ha…makes sense, man I’m an idiot-right well, good to see you….bye!” Phil finished, power walking to the doorway. Dan pushed his arm out to block it and Phil swallowed. “It’s a funny thing Phil…you never actually answered me!” Phil squirmed under Dan’s gaze and said, “ha ha ha yeah that is funny….you know me really forgetful,” Dan raised his eyebrows as Phil tried to walk under his arm, he wrapped it around Phil’s back and said. “Why is Haru-Chan in your hand?”

Phil’s mouth involuntarily opened. “You named him?” Dan scowled at him and puffed out his chest. “Of course I named him…Oh don’t give me that look…this means nothing…now give Haru back!” Phil’s eyebrow wiggled as he desperately tried not to smile. “Oh sure Mr. “I hate dogs but will name a toy one” I believe you,” he said with air quotations. Dan glowered at him. “I _never_ said I hated them oh my God Phil I’m taller than you that’s not going to work,” he said as Phil held the toy above his head. “Oh I know, but this will,” he yelled, Dan cocked his head and before he had a chance to react Phil had bolted out of the room and locked himself in the toilet.

                                            ----------------------------------------------

“Phil this is extremely unhygienic!” Dan said to the bathroom door. “There isn’t even a light in there, are you just sat in the dark hugging Haru?” There was a pause and then Dan saw a bright white light shine through the keyhole. “Ugh no…its twenty-sixteen Dan, I’m using my laser eyes,” Dan chuckled beside himself and muttered “You’re such a nerd,” under his breath. “Okay so Phil, when do you plan on leaving there?” Dan said after a pause. Phil immediately responded “until you admit that you love dogs and want to have one and that you love Haru-the-dog and it was the best gift ever and that if we got a real dog you would name it something better than Haru,” Dan smiled and said “Oi, Haru is an amazing name, what would you call a dog?” Phil seemed to think for a while before saying. “Winston,” Dan held his head in his hand. “Well I hope you have some food in there with you because I will never say that.” He turned on his heal and left.

                                                     ------------------------------------------------

Phil sat up, his phone was on 2%, and he didn’t know how much longer he could last. Being alone in a loo in the dark is not how he thought today would go. He shifted on the loo seat and his stomach let out a low grumble. “I wish you were real Haru-chan,” he said, looking down at the dog, it was hard to see cause of the darkness but he was pretty sure that Haru nodded in agreement. Okay-he really should have brought something to eat.

Finally what felt like two hundred years later Dan knocked on the door. “Hey Phil, come on, come out. I made you Mexican food, you love Mexican food.” He could smell the taco through the door and distantly wandered if his senses had heightened because he was basically blind. “I’m not leaving until you admit you want a dog! Besides I’m not hungry, your cooking sucks,” to his dismay his stomach chose that exact moment to groan so loudly it caused a mini earthquake. Dan’s voice softened and Phil heard him sit against the door on the other side. Phil had a strange urge to sing Adele at him. “Look Phil, that’s a lie…I could win MasterChef if I had the time. Why do you want a dog so much?” Phil was quiet for a couple of minutes before mumbling. “Why do you not want one,” Dan didn’t respond, but Phil heard him stand up and walk away.

                                                         ----------------------------------------------

Dan was right, he would give this Taco five Michelin stars if he could. After he had finished he shuffled into his room for the night, still hugging Haru and waiting to hear the door shut and for Dan to be gone.

His clock read three when Dan stumbled back in, knocking into the wall with a thump and a giggle. “Phil! You out the loo yet…I kinda need to use it!” Phil frowned at how slurred Dan’s words were. He could hear each step Dan took. Thump, thump-crack, giggle, thump. “Phiw, I’m scared it’s dark in here…Phillllll!” Phil thought about getting up before he could the loo flushed and Dan came in, wiping his mouth with his hand. His face was flushed sunset pink and his eyes were deep mahogany. He rolled his neck and it cracked, Phil shivered. Dan wandered a bit closer and came right up to Phil. He pushed his fringe out of his eyes and reached out for his glasses, but Dan got there first. “You’re sexy in glasses,” he speculated out loud once they were safely on Phil’s nose. Phil ran his tongue over his lips and frowned. “Oh yeah?” he said, wandering why Dan was even there. “So then, where’s the girl this time?” He said to Dan, voice flat and quiet. “Phil…” Dan began in a half whisper. He fell down onto the pillow next to his and turned to look at him. “Phil look at me,” Without a thought for self-preservation he did. Dan’s eyes were shining and his hair curled with sweat. Damn how cute he looked. “Phil…look at me…you really think there even are girls?” Phil frowned and looked, his round brown eyes were somehow bigger now, his lips slicked with spit and in a little sad smile. “Of course there are-why else would you be out all night-” “-I stay at PJ’s sometimes…I get shit-faced then him and Sophie sort me out again before I come back okay? Phil you really thought there would be anyone? Anyone other than you,”

And just like that the world stopped turning and Phil’s heart stopped beating. A cold sweat crawled up his back like ice cubes, and his vision blurred. He gulped once and let his head hit the pillow. Other than you. What. The. Hell. Dan made a noise and shook him a little. “Phil, are you okay…Phil?” he huffed out a laugh and batted Dan away. “You’re drunk Dan, just- go to sleep, okay?” He breathed out and turned on his side, away from him. He heard Dan breathe in and out, he said “Phil?” after a couple of minutes.

 The world was turning thankfully and he didn’t much fancy it stopping again tonight, thank you very much, so he made his breathing as even as he could and shut his eyes tight. Dan sighed and flopped down next to him. Phil tried not to react as a long arm wound its way around his side and clutched at his hand. Breath fluttered against his neck and lips rested against his cheek. He could feel Dan’s steady heart beat against his back, and the soft fur of Haru against his chest. “Phil, I know you’re asleep but, I love you…and I give in…let’s get a dog,” Phil’s breath hitched and he felt his heart shatter a little, Dan’s breathing slowed and Phil felt like crying, he would give _anything_ for Dan to be sober right now.


	2. Chapter 2

Phil cracked his eyes open, he felt warm, too warm-boiling in fact. He was sweating profusely and felt sticky and gross so he tried to stand up and turn the radiator down, assuming he had left it on the night before. He got about a centimetre before something stopped him, he looked down and- oh god. Dan snuggled against his back, skin against skin and Phil let out a low whine. He shifted uncomfortably and tried to subtly wriggle away without Dan waking up. Dan moaned throatily in his sleep and hugged tighter: if that was even possible.

Phil groaned and looked at the ceiling, then down at the floor. Haru-chan sat there; little eyes twinkling with mirth in the morning light as though he was laughing at Phil’s efforts. “Oh you can shut up,” Phil muttered. Haru just stared innocently up at him with ears pricked and nose shining sweetly. Phil pushed a little harder on Dan’s arm then sighed, feeling like he was being hugged by a hyperactive octopus or hungry boa constrictor. His head thumped back onto the pillow with a puff of breath and he returned his gaze to the ceiling, purposefully ignoring Haru.

   -----------------------------------------------------

It was twelve o’clock when Phil woke up again, Dan was still there, though his arms were looser and he had shuffled away from Phil. He managed to sit up without Dan grappling at him like he was a rabid wolverine and Phil was a tasty snack. When he looked down he was met with two blinking eyes, Dan had frozen in his tracks, gaze flicking from Phil’s bare chest to his flushed cheeks and sweat soaked body, he gulped.

“Hello,” Dan said, voice gravelly with sleep.

“Hello,” Phil mirrored, stretching out and yawning a little bit, Dan tracked the movement of his arms, watching Phil’s muscles twitch and flex. He gulped again.

They looked at each other for a second.

 “Why am I-”

-we’re getting a pup-”              

“in your bed?”

“py!”

They said simultaneously.

“You got drunk-”

“-no, no we aren’t, Phil we’ve been through this!” Phil pursed his lips and after an uncomfortably long pause Dan carried on. “Did we….um….you know…” he made a small but obscene hand gesture and Phil looked at him with mild disgust, he wasn’t surprised that Dan didn’t remember but it still somehow hurt. He lent on his elbows and put his glasses on. Dan waited with bated breath as Phil stood up and pulled on some jeans and his green hoodie. “I’m not telling you what happened last night…” Dan looked murderous and opened his mouth to speak, but before he could get a word out Phil placed his hand over his mouth. “…..until you agree to us getting a puppy!” He smirked happily as Dan paled and looked like he had sucked on a lemon. He fumed silently and made muffled noises from under Phil’s hand which sounded rather worryingly like “I am going to murder you,” and tried to prise it off. Phil began to laugh- stopping abruptly when we felt Dan’s teeth sink into this fingers. “Ouch Dannnn!” He smirked up at Phil clutching his hand in pain. Phil gave him one last smirk, and then he was gone.

                                                -------------------------

I was still fully clothed!” Dan yelled, slamming his hand on the table next to Phil, causing his coffee to wobble and teeter precariously at the edge of the table before Phil came to its rescue. He paused the video and looked up at Dan “Yes?” Phil said, pulling out his earphones at a glacial speed. “Any reason for trying to capsize my coffee all over the floor…or was that just for fun?” Dan glowered at him and sat on the table, shoving Phil’s laptop onto the floor unceremoniously. “Dannnn! My life is on there, be careful!”

The table creaked ominously. “Um…I’m not….saying your fat…or anything, but…I think you might break the-” Dan made a show of leaning harder onto it and kicked Phil in the shin. “I was fully clothed! Nothing happened!” he looked smug, but his smile was pained, as though he wasn’t half as certain as he acted. Phil smiled like the cat who got the cream, rubbing his shin and waggling his eyebrows suggestively. “So you’ve been thinking about it all day, have you? Oh Danny, there are _plenty_ of things a person can do without being naked…you know…like-” Dan flushed tomato red and stormed from the room shouting “la la la la la la la,” at the top of his lungs, Phil hoped the neighbours hadn’t heard, he liked this apartment.

                                                   -------------------------------------------

“Daaaa-aaaannn…I made you your favourite, ham and pineapple….” Phil called from the kitchen “Well I say made….I ordered it but still…I thought of you when buying it….” Dan frowned into his cushion, hugging Haru-chan and scowling at the paper thin wall which Phil’s voice echoed through-damn London and its shoddy architecture. “Look Dan, stop stropping, or I will eat this myself,” He turned over and got out his phone, scrolling through YouTube to see what the next big tag was. “Don’t test me Howell,” he heard directly from his doorway. He swallowed and shut his phone off, closing his eyes and playing dead. The door squealed open and he heard someone shuffle in. “Come on, it’s not that bad okay, all you have to do is agree!” Dan scowled harder, if he had the Force Phil would so be dead by now. He heard a sigh, “suit yourself. I’m leaving it here. We have to do a collab tomorrow- Tumblr has threatened us with our lives…so just-man up and buy a puppy, okay?” _Obi Wan Kenobi, Yoda, teach me the ways of the force so I can murder Phil_ , he frowned to himself, maybe that Star Wars marathon had been a mistake.

\----------------------------------------------------------

He looked down at the pizza and smiled happily, maybe Phil wasn’t so bad. He raised the first slice to his mouth, feeling the hot bread on his bottom lip and then-“Ah-ha! I knew it!” Phil burst out of the wardrobe and Dan froze-okay he definitely was that bad, an awful idiotic prat. The pizza lay face down on his bed, tomato sauce imprinting on the bedcovers. He growled “Ah Phil I see you finally came out of the closet-good for you #GayIsOkay…but for Fucks Sake you ruined a perfectly good pizza, you do realise you don’t have to come out of a literal closet to “come out of the closet” right?” Phil went slightly pink. “Ugh Dan, I was just hiding in there to see if you were asleep oh my goddd,” Dan chuckled.

“Oh? So you were in the closet watching me sleep, like a gay Edward Cullen….is that a metaphor… it sounds like it should be…you’re the English language major, you should know,” Phil huffed and crossed his arms over his chest. “Well, firstly you weren’t actually asleep, secondly I resent you implying I'm on the same level of creepiness as a hundred year old vampire who preys on teenagers, thirdly you weren’t exactly acting very straight last night either, so you can stop the gay jokes,” he left Dan to pick his jaw back up from where it had hit the floor and flounced out of the room. “YOU’RE CLEANING THIS DUVET!!!!!” He yelled at the door, there was a small pause and then Phil yelled back. “NOT UNTIL YOU BUY ME A PUPPY-A REAL PUPPY NOT LIKE HARU, NO OFFENSE HARU!” The toy looked a little put out on the floor where Dan had thrown him in shock. Dan looked down at him and shook his head. “See, you agree with me don’t you? Phil has gone utterly insane.”

“NO I HAVEN’T!”

Dan held his head in his hand and groaned, he was impossible, utterly impossible.

                                                ------------------------------------------------------

“Okay Phil, what about a compromise?” He perked up at that, after the pizza and closet debacle they ordered another pizza and Dan begrudgingly put his duvet in the washing machine after Phil point blank refused to do it without a puppy in payment. After a second Phil narrowed his eyes sceptically “what sort of compromise..?” Dan placed down his slice of pizza and said innocently, “we could…get another animal? A smaller one maybe...” Phil’s eyes widened-he wouldn’t...would he? “…for example a hamster?” Dan raised a single brow at Phil and suddenly Phil regretted having just taken a huge bite of pizza. He started to gag involuntarily and grimaced, he ran over to the bin, hand clamped over his mouth.

When he was sat back down again and his stomach had stopped turning over in disgust Dan burst into a long laugh. “Oh my God. Your face Phil! Your _face_.” Phil glared at him with every ounce of his being wishing he would simply spontaneously combust. Tears were running down Dan’s face by this point and he wiped them away with shaking hands. “Oh sweet Jesus! That was so perfect….” He swallowed a few times and his laughs died down into little hiccups. “It was just a suggestion Phil…you love hamsters….we could…..get a….new one…every wee-” before Dan could finish Phil threw the Pizza box straight at his head with surprising accuracy and force before plugging his fingers in his ears like the six year old he was.

                                                          --------------------------------

“Christ Phil….you ever thought about taking up Frisbee? Not sure if it’s a professional sport but….seems like a viable career option for you to be honest.” Dan said as Phil guiltily passed him the frozen peas. “I said I was sorry!” Phil said pouting a little and flopping onto the floor beside Dan. “You know I have no co-ordination or strength I’m like a baby panda- it surprised me as much as it surprised you,” he said sheepishly, refusing to look at the little patch of purple showing under the packet of peas. “Anyway the box is squishy so I have no idea how you even got a bruise- you’re like a peach, any bump and you're smushed into one big pile of mush,” Dan frowned at Phil, looking at him like he was insane

“Phil no-you just have bloody ninja fighting techniques, seriously you should trademark that, Pizza box Frisbee competitions, “If you hit his leg 3 points, stomach 4 and face 5-fun for all the family,”” Phil looked down at him, and pushed back his fringe, feeling his forehead. “What are you doing?” Dan said, hitting away Phil’s hand and pushing the packet of peas back on. “I think you must have concussion because that was seriously the worst joke ever,” he said.

“Oi! It wasn’t a joke I think you should do it…very marketable,” Phil just shook his head and bit his lip to stop the chuckle he was holding back from escaping. “You, my fine gentleman; are a complete and utter nerd.” Dan scowled at him and said “You can’t insult me…you have probably already caused me brain damage tonight!” Dan mumbled. “Ugh, where’s Haru,” he added bitterly after a second. Phil raised his eyebrows and said “Getting attached, are we?” with a little smirk. Dan didn’t reply, he simply hugged himself and turned away from Phil. “Drama-lama,” Phil muttered under his breath, leaning back onto the table and looking morosely at the margarita pizza which lay face-down on the floor, he hadn’t quite realised there was anything left in the box when he threw it; he supposed this must be Karma.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, it seems they still haven't reached an agreement...I'm really, really enjoying writing this and I hope you all like reading it too. Feedback of any kind is always welcome. Thank you all for the Kudos, I wasn't really expecting anything from this! ^_^


	3. Chapter 3

Dan flicked on his light, the room burst into colour and he saw dots and spots swimming across the walls as his eyes adjusted to the change of lighting. He blinked groggily and swung his legs over the end of his bed, looked sadly down at the little smudge of tomato sauce still stuck to his duvet. He pushed a hand through his hair, took a swig of water and slipped on a hoodie. As soon as he walked out of his room he felt a sharp pain in his ankle and his arms wind-milled as he nearly flopped into a puddle on the corridor floor. “Phillllllll…..you left the bloody tripod on the floor again….why would you do that…it’s a health and safety hazard…I could sue you...” He trailed off and wandering around the corner “you know I should invest in a sign…..like the ones in bathrooms saying “CAUTION WET FLOOR” but instead saying, “Danger: miscellaneous objects Phil couldn’t be arsed to put away.”

He nearly cracked his nose against the door as he tried to get into the kitchen because his eyes were still swimming from the tripod incident. “Phil get your butt out here and tidy this shit up.” He yelled, pulling out a bowl and filling it with frosted shreddies-half empty thanks to Phil’s midnight raids. He frowned a little when he heard no reply and flopped onto the sofa, bringing the spoon up to his mouth. Just as he was about to take a mouthful the door swung open, seemingly of its own accord with an ominous creak and he heard the little pitter-patter of tiny claws on the floorboards. The spoon clunked onto the floor and Dan paled. He scrambled across the sofa and held up a cushion in defence. His mind raced, wandering if it was a rat of some kind of rabid squirrel that Phil had thought would make a good pet.

A little nose poked around the corner of the sofa and he saw a tiny pink tongue lick at the milk dripping from his spoon on the floor. The nose twitched and Dan froze in place. He felt a little bit of panic clawing under his skin. A minute later he saw the little body clamber up onto the sofa, stubby and chubby. Dan groaned. A little pug looked up at him with twinkling eyes and tongue stuck out in a pant. It pushed a paw up into the air playfully and cocked its head. It wiggled up to Dan like a furry worm and Dan wiggled further into the cushions, desperately trying to avoid it. The creature seemed to think it was a game and it pounced, body pressed against Dan’s chest and tongue slobbering over his neck. A second later Phil walked in, holding a plastic bag. Dan still sat statue still, and the dog still licked him like he was an especially delicious treat.

Phil jumped out of his skin as he noticed Dan laying there on the sofa. He clutched his heart and heaved in a breath. “Ahhh- Dan oh my god I thought you were still asleep,” he said, his voice breaking a little on the words. Dan looked at him evenly, watching as he pulled a lead, dog bowl and dog biscuits out of the bag and placed them on the sitting room table.

“Phil.” He deadpanned. Phil looked up at him; eyes wide and innocent-mirroring the dog on Dan’s chest. Dan stared down at the items on the table then slowly turned his gaze back to Phil. “Please. Don’t….tell me…you bought a….dog,” Phil frowned, looking really confused, then he burst out into a long bark of laughter. He pointed towards the stuff on the table, then towards the dog then towards Dan, forcing out. “You…….A pug….bought…..oh my _god_ …you’re so paranoid!” He ended, still laughing a little. Dan watched nervously as Phil gathered the pug into his arms and blew a little puff of air onto its nose. The pug sneezed and licked its nose. Dan hated the warmth it spread through his heart as he watched it snap cheekily towards Phil’s face, licking Phil’s finger as he tapped its nose softly. Dan’s heart rate settled and he drew in a shaky breath. “No….if I got a dog…I’d get a Shibe- like you wanted..” Dan’s brearthe stuck in his throat and he just stared at him blankly.

“Phil- you didn’t…you didn’t _steal_ that pug did you?” he said horrified. Phil laughed again then pulled a face. “Who do you take me for Danny? As I said I’m responsible. I’m proving how responsible I am!” He went back to playing with the little dog, taking its black paws into his hands and waving its legs into the air, the pug yapped gleefully and snapped after its own paws. Dan slowly moved into a sitting position. “Okay but like….if you didn’t steal it then…who’s pug do we have in our sitting room,” he said, mind reeling and heart still pumping a little faster than normal.

“Kate’s!” Phil said happily, tickling the pugs belly and making baby faces at it, he could hear Phil saying “who’s a cute one…you are…the cutest…you are” under his breath as he giggled at its flailing limbs.

Dan nodded slowly, “Right.” He said slowly, hands steepled under his chin. Then he frowned and sprang up in an explosion of limbs “wait…. _what_? Who in God’s name is Kate?!?” He yelled, the pug squirmed a little in Phil’s arms and nudged into his chest. “Hey. Don’t be mean, you’re scaring Cocoa- use your inside voice,” he said, gently stroking the dogs ears, that had pinned against its head in fright. Dan scoffed, and looked incredulously down at the pair of them. “Okay sure. I’m sorry it’s absolutely normal for your roommate to bring a random ladies dog into the apartment- silly me for over reacting.”

Phil popped Cocoa onto the floor and stood up straight, rolling his eyes at Dan. “Firstly “the dog’s” name is Cocoa, secondly it’s not a “random” woman’s dog- Kate’s my cousin…she’s on holiday…stop freaking out…thirdly you should be happy- Cocoa’s adorable,” Dan began to reply but before he could deny it, the words died on his lips, Cocoa was sitting on the floor eating his cereal straight from the bowl, and lapping up the milk from the carpet. He felt like scooping her up and never letting her go, but instead he flounced out of the room, with one more world-weary glare at Phil for good measure.

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Dan had tried to hate her, he really had, but really she was just a delight and he _hated_ it. She had only been there a few days and yet she had managed to turn around their whole routine, rather than being a “heavy sleeper” and forcing Dan to get up for the postman Phil readily woke up with a smile, Cocoa in tow. Phil actually put his trainers on once, claiming to be going on a run with Cocoa, Dan was a little sceptical that he did anything other than speed walking but it was more exercise than Dan had done in a month so he wasn’t judging him. Phil had also been much happier, cooking more, singing in the shower again- not that Dan listened out; it was just hard not to hear. It was strange, how cocoa had somehow turned the flat into something more domestic than it ever had been before. Seeing her little face scrunched up in thought whenever she heard a strange noise or her yapping and energetic tail wagging when they came back after shopping. It even made them more productive. Dan _hated_ it.

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_“Hey guys! How’ve you all been…good? I hope so…well I’ve actually got something to tell you…I’m sorry I didn’t make this video as soon as it happened but we’ve been a bit busy. Drumroll please.” Dan pocked his head on screen and looked at him with mild disgust, rolled his eyes and started making gunshot noises. Phil looked a bit confused, “Okay fine, sounds like there is a mass murder going on but- close enough….are you all excited enough?” He left a beat of silence as Dan trailed off, sucking in air and carrying on. “ME AND DAN GOT A DOG!!!” Instantly Dan flew into shot, sprawling onto the bed and thrusting his arms out to cover Phil “Phil no no that’s so misleading!” Phil pouted and said “Ugh Daniel. It’s true though isn’t it?” Dan rolled his eyes again and said “Not really no…sorry to disappoint- ruining your domestic dreams….Phil’s cousin made us look after her pug Cocoa,” on cue Cocoa flew onto the bed in a blur of ebony fur and rose bud tongue._

_“She didn’t make me…I offered…” Phil said, looking rather crestfallen._ Phil highlighted the frames and deleted them, no one needed to see them argue. _“Daaaaaannnn please!” Phil pouted and crossed his arms. Dan raised his brows and said “Nope.” Adamantly, turning away from Cocoa as she leapt into Phil’s arms and did puppy dog eyes as him. “Pleeeeaaassseeee….the internet will love it.”_ Phil cringed a little, the genuine desire was seeping into his voice, making him sound needy and a bit pathetic. He desperately wanted to delete the scene but whenever he tried to move the mouse he stopped himself. He could always play it off as fan pleasing to Dan if he asked, he just hated lying. _Phil stared up at him softly wiggling Cocoa’s paws against his side. “Ugh...fine.” Dan mumbled and with a final long suffering stare into the camera. He gathered her up into his arms and for a second just cradled her there._ Phil melted, physically melted into a puddle at the sight. Even through the screen he could see the look of utter adoration he shot towards Dan, he knew that this part would never be allowed onto the internet- not now not ever.

_For a few seconds Phil stared down at the pair of them, Dan stroking Cocoa behind her ears and grinning down at her little face. He looked sad- well melancholy, as though he was looking at something private, that he would only see once in a lifetime and he never wanted it to end. The raw emotion was cutting, and Dan sat next to him completely oblivious, staring openly down at the little puppy. Then he coughed and Phil jumped, twisting so that Dan wouldn’t see the blush crawling onto his cheeks._

Phil cut it; Dan could never see that.

_Dan smiled at him and said “Here goes nothing-” and lifted a surprisingly cooperative dog high into the air. “IT’S THE CIRCLE OF LIFFFFEEEE” he began, cutting through the tension and making Phil break down into a burst of giggles. He carried on until Phil said “Stop stop! You’re making all the viewers deaf-” Dan snapped his eyes open and said “I am soo soo sorry- please don’t sue me…” They looked at each other and burst into little hiccupping giggles, but as they trailed off Phil winced and blinked a few times, eyes a little hazy. A flash of something he couldn’t place sprang across his face as he looked at Dan, who was staring down at his phone to see what he next tweet was._

It was difficult to watch, seeing how far gone he was, how close he was to giving himself away. He had been so close to saying it then, he had even opened his mouth a little, but Dan had snorted and started a new sketch before he could quite manage it. He selected the frames and copied them into a folder. One he had called “random junk” to put Dan off, which was filled with snippets from different videos where he had almost said it. There were nearly 20 clips; since 2009. He shut down his laptop and scraped his hand over his face. Shutting the lid and he hit his head against the head board, staring at the peeling paint on the ceiling. He stayed there for a moment, swallowing down the lump in his throat, and squeezing his eyes shut.

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Phil padded out into the landing and looked into Dan’s room, going to tell him the video was done and ready for him to check over. The door was ajar and he stepped in gingerly, hopping over a few belts and jumpers strewn across the carpet (it was like a strange obstacle course.) The lights were off other than his bedside light and he could see Dan laid across the mattress. It wasn’t uncommon for Dan to lay like that- looking dead to the world- as he browsed through the internet, on top of his duvet. As he got closer, though, he realised that he was asleep from the steady rise and fall of his chest.

He was going to turn from the room and go back to his when he noticed a tiny black blob splatted on Dan’s chest. He stepped forward and sucked in air, Cocoa was sprawled there, happily snoring against Dan’s cheek. Her paws were tucked against his neck and her breath lifted the hair behind his ears. His eyes flickered under his eye lids, and his arm absently stroked at her coat, a little trail of dribble running across his cheek. Phil bit back an involuntary noise and stepped back. He looked down at how peaceful he looked, forehead free from a single crease and mouth parted in a small smile. His fringe swept messily across his forehead, strands sticking up in all sorts of directions. He stepped back through the explosion of clothes and walked out into the landing after shutting off Dan’s light. Then he turned back, and finally said it to the sleeping form. “Dan. I love you.” He whispered, Dan twitched a little in his sleep and Cocoa wriggled further into his neck and let out a little whine. Closing the door behind him he turned back to his room; into the cold emptiness of his double bed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about the delay...I've been busy with exams, but now that they are over I should be able to upload more regularly! I hope you liked the new chapter, comments and kudos are appreciated as always ^-^


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